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V19 2016 INDEX       E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 19, Number 29, July 17, 2016, Article 14

PHOTOS OF STEPHEN NAGY

Dave Hirt questioned the photo of dealer Stephen Nagy shown in an earlier article from John Lupia's site. Readers have come to a consensus on a revised photo. -Editor

The November 12, 1909 New York Numismatic Club Photo

NYNC 05-00063

John Kleeberg writes:

Dave Hirt is quite correct. The man in the foreground in Lupia's cropped photo is Elmer Sears. The man in profile, behind him, is Stephen K. Nagy.

There is quite a lot more that could be written about Nagy. Nagy was involved in a remarkably large number of dubious numismatic transactions in the early twentieth century - 1913 nickels, territorial gold fakes (Massachusetts and California , USAOG, Templeton Reid). Pieces from his estate appeared in the 1958 ANA Auction conducted by Abe Kosoff. Eric Newman tried to get the dodgy pieces from the Nagy estate transferred to the Smithsonian; more details about that will be found in his correspondence.

Len Augsburger adds:

Regarding Nagy, there are a number of letters between John Ford and Eric Newman, c. 1958, in which Ford is attempting to get the Nagy estate placed in the Smithsonian. He wants Newman to donate money for it, and Newman is suspicious that Ford will siphon off some of the material. Newman ends up not funding the project. The most interesting document in the group is an inventory of the material, which would be interesting to compare to the Kosoff sale.

If I recall correctly, a group of drawings from George T. Morgan were part of this estate, went to Stack’s, and formed the basis for Karen Lee’s book on the subject, when they were eventually donated to SI. There were many other things in the estate.

Both John and Len Augsburger helpfully pointed out that the identification of the persons in the photograph has previously been published in (duh!) The E-Sylum -Editor

John Kleeberg wrote:

This photograph also appears in Mehl's Numismatic Monthly, December 1909, page 194, and in The Elder Magazine, January 1910, page 14.

The date of the photograph can be determined from the dates given in Mehl's and Elder's magazines; and also from the fact that John H. Clapp appears, since he did not attend many meetings (he lived in Washington, DC).

Seated at the left of the front table, left to right: Wayte Raymond (glasses and cigar), Victor D. Brenner (bearded), Elmer Sears, Stephen K. Nagy, Bauman L. Belden (bearded, appears to have a water jug on his head)

Elmer Sears in Boston, 1921

Boston Post, Sun, August 21, 1921, page 15

John Lupia writes:

Dave Hirt seems to be right that the cropped New York Numismatic Club photo originally posted by me is probably not zoomed in on Stephen Nagy but Elmer Sears. I found the above photo of Sears in the Boston Post, August 21, 1921. I replaced the photo with the other diner sitting next to him. I misread Dave Hirt's original notice in  The E-Sylum or else I would have had it right. Thanks to Dave we have it!

1908 Philadephia ANA Photo

Here's an earlier look at both Nagy and Sears, this time from a 1908 photo. -Editor

ANA_1908_Convention

The Convention Group
Photographed on Main Entrance Steps, Philadelphia Mint,
October 1st, 1908.

1. Henry Chapman 2. Farran Zerbe 3. Howland Wood 4. Mrs. Farran Zerbe 5. Mrs. Henry Chapman 6. Miss Laura Collings 7. Mrs. Waldo C. Moore 8. Herbert Niklewicz 9. H. O. Granberg 10. F. G. Duffield 11. J. H. Clapp 12. E. H. Adams 13. D. A. Williams 14. George A. Larned 15. Thomas W. Voetter 16. R. L. Elder 17. W. S. Chattin 18. S. K. Nagy 19. Dr. J. M. Henderson 20. Elmer S. Sears 21. H. R. Newcomb 22. R. W. McLachlan 23. William Poillon 24. J. C. Mitchelson 25. M. Marcurorr 26. Henry Hammelman 27. George W. Devinny 28. T. Louis Camparette 29. Waldo C. Moore 30. Joseph H. Geis

Julia Purdy writes:

I did a Google search and found this interesting labeled 1908 ANA Convention photo posted by "leeg" at the Collectors Society forum. S.K. Nagy is listed as #18 and Elmer S. Sears as #20 in the photo. I know nothing more about this - just happened to come across it in my search.

Below are cropped versions showing Nagy in 1909 and 1908. I'm glad we could straighten this out. Thanks, everyone! -Editor

Stephen Nagy closeup ANA_1908_Convention
Stephen Nagy in 1909 and 1908

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JULY 10, 2016 : Stephen Nagy Photo Sought (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n28a09.html)
STEPHEN KENNETH NAGY, JR., (1884-1958) (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n26a15.html)

THE BOOK BAZARRE

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Wayne Homren, Editor

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